Motorist scolds MMDA enforcer for ignoring ‘erring’ buses, jeeps

An angry motorist was caught on video berating an MMDA traffic enforcer for supposedly emplementing traffic rules arbitrarily, given that the enforcer pulled over a private motorist while at the same time ignoring erring bus and jeepney drivers near Quezon City's Kamuning Road, GMA 7 news program "24 Oras Weekend" reported on Saturday.

When motorist, Jervy Santiago, saw MMDA Traffic Enforcer Marvin Minguito pull the car ahead of him over for allegedly running a red light, while at the same time ignoring bus and jeepney drivers who were illegally loading and unloading passengers, Santiago pulled over as well and heatedly spoke to Minguito.

"Ang kapal ng mukha mo, ganitong oras nanghuhuli ka pa. Bakit ang lakas ng loob ko? Tanongin mo bakit ang lakas ng loob ko? Bibigyan kita ng dalawang araw tanggal ka sa pwesto. Kung gusto lang kitang hiyain dapat bini-videohan na kita. Pero hindi ko ginagawa," said Santiago to MMDA enforcer Minguito.

"Ang gusto ko sana magbago kayo, ayusin ninyo ang trabaho ninyo. I'm not here to tell how to run your business. I'm not here to tell you kung paano niyo gawin ang trabaho niyo. Same thing na huwag niyo kaming bastusin. Anong rason para hulihin mo? E kung itong dalawang 'to di mo kayang gawan? Bakit ko dapat respetuhin ang uniporme mo?," Santiago continued.

Minguito replied, "Naintindihan ko sir."

"Alam ko ito hinuhuli mo, pero gusto kong tumabi. Gusto ko ako ang hulihin mo. Paalisin mo na 'yan, ako hulihin mo! Hulihin mo rin 'yang mga 'yan," Santiago said.

"Okay na sir," Minguito replied.

"Okay na, okay na. Ito bakit may panglagay kasi 'to. 'Yung mga jeep... parang alam ko pare sampung piso kada lagay ng mga 'yan...," the motorist continued.

In an interview, Santiago admitted that he wrong to confront the traffic enforcer the way he did. However, his irritation got the better of him because he thought the enforcers were applying traffic rules unevenly.

MMDA spokesperson Celine Pialago meanwhile said that the MMDA did not want to judge anybody in the video as they were not at the scene when the incident occured.

"The mistake of our enforcers, if ever there was a mistake, can be meted with an appropriate disciplinary action only if the aggrieved party would file a formal complaint," Pialago said.

"Berating him while videotaping just wouldn't cut it...," she added, encouraging both parties involved in the video to file a complaint.

"I felt bad, hindi ko pinag-sisisihan, but I just felt bad [over how I spoke to the enforcer]," Santiago admitted. "But I'm encouraging the netizens to open their mind. Lawakan ninyo ang isip ninyo, tingnan ninyo kung bakit ko siya ginawa at hindi kung papano ko siya ginawa."

GMA News was unable to contact MMDA traffic enofrcer Minguito for comment as of posting time. — John Ted Cordero/DVM, GMA News

(ERRATUM: This article has been updated to correct the earlier report that motorist Jervy Santiago was detained by the MMDA for a traffic violation. He was merely asked to pull over. Also, the story has been so corrected to include portions of his remarks that would put his views as regards the conduct of MMDA traffic enforcers in the proper context: thus, "Ang kapal ng mukha mo, ganitong oras nanghuhuli ka pa. Bakit ang lakas ng loob ko? Tanongin mo bakit ang lakas ng loob ko? Bibigyan kita ng dalawang araw tanggal ka sa pwesto. Kung gusto lang kitang hiyain dapat bini-videohan na kita. Pero hindi ko ginagawa."  We regret the error.)